The board has approved an early-retirement plan for teachers and anticipates 2,100 to retire early.

Searching the budget, the company's accountants discovered another drain, an early-retirement plan the board approved in 1994.

More than half the layoffs could be avoided, county officials said, if enough long-term employees leave by Jan. 1 through an early-retirement plan.

To reduce its losses, Air India has drawn up early-retirement plans for 60 percent of its employees.

The offer was available to employees younger than 50 who did not qualify for the early-retirement plan.

As more companies offer early-retirement plans, the questions over when these plans constitute age discrimination are expected to continue.

Thousands of jobs may be eliminated through attrition, and the payroll may be trimmed further with a new early-retirement plan.

State officials last week reveled details of an early-retirement plan that they expect more than 2,000 state employees to apply for.

Rumors of another early-retirement plan, other cost-cutting measures and a major stock buyback circulated yesterday.

About 800 workers will be eligible for an early-retirement plan, the company said.